While the many 2013 elections mattered primarily to the people who cast ballots, 2014 is shaping up as a year in which the choices voters make could reverberate well beyond their countries' borders. Among the ten elections to watch are Afghanistan's presidential election, Iraq's and India's parliamentary elections, and South Africa's national assembly election. Read more on The Water's Edge »

The International Monetary Fund expects the growth of the global economy will accelerate to 3.6 percent in 2014 from 2.9 percent in 2013. Five top economic experts offer insights on how to read trends in different regions. Read more »

U.S. CONGRESS AND THE BUDGET

The budget deal members of Congress announced last night will provide breathing space for markets if it is approved. That it was negotiated ahead of the absolute deadline is something to build on. Read more on Macro and Markets »

The greatest threat to U.S. national security is not China or terrorism or Iran or anything else coming from beyond this country's shores. Rather, it is America's own political dysfunction. Far more significant than changing how Congress handles foreign policy would be changing how Congress handles its core business. Read the article »

Contrary to conventional wisdom, the consequences of past U.S. defense cuts were not all bad. In fact, history shows that austerity forces Washington to think strategically, something it rarely does when times are flush. Read more on ForeignAffairs.com »

Kim Jong-un's decision to remove and then execute his "regent," Jang Song-thaek, will strengthen his power in the near term and eliminate speculation among the highest-level cadres that Kim is subject to challenge. Read more on Asia Unbound »

Mexico's legislature passed a landmark energy bill opening Mexico's energy sector up to the broader world of investment. If it is implemented, this reform will lower consumer gas prices, increase stability of supply, and make Mexico a more attractive place for foreign investment. Read more on Latin America's Moment »

Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich's gamble to get both the European Union and Russia to stop Ukraine's slide into bankruptcy has resulted in mass demonstrations in Kiev, an increasingly fragile economy, and a situation where no clear winner emerges. Yet compromise is more likely than an Orange Revolution 2.0, as Yanukovich's space for maneuvering is limited and the political and economic realities of all players involved point toward bolstering Ukraine's economy in the short term. Read the transcript »

Despite Secretary of State John Kerry's statement that Israeli-Palestinian talks are at a crucial stage, the two parties dispute any notion that they are closer to an agreement than they have been in a long time. Kerry is focused on trying to resolve the question of who will police the West Bank if it is turned over to Palestinian control. Read the interview »

A majority of U.S. troops that remain in Afghanistan after the 2014 drawdown should be assigned to train, advise, and assist Afghan national and local forces. Smaller numbers of troops should be tasked specifically with conducting strikes against terrorists. Read the Council Special Report »

As government-aid budgets grow slimmer, the U.S. could gain a far greater return on its development dollars by directly investing in the entrepreneurs creating growth in their communities. The creation of an American development bank would maximize investment in small and medium-sized businesses in the world's least-developed economies. Read the Policy Innovation Memorandum »

President George W. Bush's forthright calls for freedom and democracy in the Middle East forced leaders like Hosni Mubarak to position themselves as reformers, which, in turn, allowed activists to pursue their reform agendas in new ways. In keeping Major-General Abdel Fatah al Sisi honest in his commitment to democracy, President Barack Obama should take a page from his predecessor's play book. Read more on From the Potomac to the Euphrates »

Over the past two years, international trade has grown so slowly that it has fallen behind the growth of the world economy. Major potential trade deals are at risk of falling through, and this month 159 members of the World Trade Organization agreed to move forward with basic trade facilitation measures but failed to reach a consensus on what should be on the table for the next WTO round. Read the op-ed »

With the end of combat operations in Afghanistan expected next year, we should resist the urge to declare the "War on Terrorism" over and revert solely to a law-enforcement model of counterterrorism. To ensure the nation's counterterrorism strategy does not regress to a pre-9/11 framework, Congress should reauthorize and reframe the Authorization of the Use of Military Force. Read the op-ed »

Ask CFR Experts

Colette Mazzucelli asks, What is the likelihood, and potential impact, of a U.S.-EU free trade agreement? CFR Adjunct Senior Fellow James P. Dougherty says the likelihood of a U.S.-EU trade pact is slim, due to divisions in Congress, the NSA spying scandal, and the upcoming election year in Congress. Read the full answer and submit your question »